Health Information Technology is a relatively new field, and it is unique in a couple of senses. For one, you can almost create your own career, drawing from a combination of specialties that is unique to you. For example, if you have a background in nursing and you like to write computer programming as a hobby, you may find your success in the world of Health Information
Technology by designing and maintaining nursing scheduling programs. If, on the other hand, your experience is centered on medical office procedures (like patient billing, for example), then you may want to focus on electronic health records. Another thing that makes Health Information Technology a standout career is the fact that you may acquire one, or any of a number of, certifications that enable you to stake your specialized claim in the field. What certifications might you need to work in Health Information Technology? Explore these options:
EMR Certified Health Information Technology Specialist (Certified HIT). In this case, EMR stands for electronic medical records. Thus, a certification in EMR HIT will qualify you with all of the know-how you need to properly manage, protect, utilize, and maintain EMR systems in a variety of clinical settings. The coursework consists of four online classes, and you must pay an annual $199 fee to keep your certification current (in addition to paying the up-front course and testing fee of $449).
Healthcare IT Technician certification. This certification program is administered by the Computer Technology Industry Association (CompTIA), and is designed to provide information and testing on every basic aspect of Healthcare IT system development, integration, and maintenance, including network security, legal regulations, and medical business procedures. This certificate will qualify you for Health Information Technology work in any type of clinical setting. There is no course requirement for this certification, but you will need to have accumulated at least 500 hours of experience and pay a $100 testing fee.
Certified Professional in Health Information Technology (CPHIT). This certification is similar to the EMR Certified HIT designation, above, in that it provides you with the knowledge and skill you need to implement and maintain electronic health records in a clinical setting. However, it also includes a comprehensive education on medical information technology. Expect to spend around $600 for this certification, including course materials and testing.
There is no limit to what you can accomplish in the Health Information Technology field, as long as you are willing to invest some time and money into your specialized training before going to sites like healthitjobs.com to find specialized work. Explore these certification options, as well as others like them, when devising a strategy for reaching your career goals in Health IT.